Sustainable Transportation Modeling

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This research is intended to improve the planning, design and operations of Canada's transportation systems. Governments throughout Canada and more generally North America are considering major investments in public transportation systems as a way to reduce congestion; improve environmental conditions; provide lower cost transportation choices to all members of society; and to help revitalize urban areas. The way in which decision makers evaluate possible investments in transportation systems is with Travel Forecasting Models. These models try to predict how travelers will behave - what trips will be made and by what mode - if new transit systems are built or if existing systems are upgraded. In order for these models to be effective, they must accurately reflect how travelers compare making a trip by transit to other modes, especially the automobile. Currently, most of the models used only include some basic information about the transit service. This research will develop better cost models that include considerations of transit costs that most travelers recognize and evaluate - system reliability, comfort, accessibility and others - but previous models have not included. This research will also determine the way models should change to better reflect costs as travelers get accustomed to traveling by transit or car, and as travelers get more familiar with the options available to them. The outcomes of this research will be a set of models that are much better at evaluating competing investments in transportation systems. This will allow governments to make better decisions about what transportation systems should be built or upgraded. The end goal is that decision makers can use scarce public resources to achieve desired changes not only in transportation, but also to improve the livability and economic competitiveness of Canadian cities and the quality of life for Canadians.